2006 Gold Medal Recipients



Coach Bobby Bowden (Florida State) and Coach Joe Paterno (Penn State)

BOBBY BOWDEN, 2006 GOLD MEDAL CO- RECIPIENT
Head Coach, Florida State University

In 2006, Bobby Bowden will continue to build his legacy as he leads the Seminoles onto the field for the 31st year. He became the all-time winningest coach in major college history in 2003 and currently has 359 career wins. He is the only coach to lead his team to 14 straight seasons that ended with a ranking among the Associated Press Top five. He's coached two national championship teams including the 1999 squad that was the first ever to go through a season from start to finish as the AP No. 1. The field at Doak Campbell Stadium was named for him last season, and a national award given by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes now bears his name.

With a 19-9-1 record in bowl games, he trails the overall record of 21 career bowl wins held by Penn State's Joe Paterno by just two. FSU's Orange Bowl trip in 2005 marked the 24th straight season that the Seminoles reached a bowl game. Bowden is the only coach in NCAA history to win 11 consecutive bowl games (1985-95) and the only coach ever with 14 consecutive bowl appearances (1982-95) without a loss (FSU tied Georgia 17-17 in the 1984 Citrus Bowl).

Bowden took over an FSU program in 1976 that had won just four games over the previous three seasons. This past season, the school honored his success and longevity with the dedication of a statue of his likeness that sits in front of the Moore Athletic Center and with the official proclamation of Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. His record at Florida State is 286-75-4. The totals include a 149-23-2 record in Tallahassee, 32-9-1 record at neutral sites and 105-43-1 on an opponent's field.

Bowden achieved impressive numbers in his previous coaching stops, including a 31-6 record at his alma mater Howard College (now Samford University) between 1959 and 1962, and a 42-26 mark at West Virginia from 1970-75. During his tenure with Florida State, his Seminoles have won 10 or more games in a season 18 times. Florida State had been to just eight bowls in the 29 years before him. The 2006 Orange Bowl marked the Seminole's 27th since his arrival.

Florida State is the only school to finish among the (Associated Press) Top Five for 14 consecutive seasons. The Seminoles finished first twice (1993, 1999); second twice (1987, 92); third, four times (1988, 89, 97, 99); fourth, five times (1990, 91, 94, 95, 96); and fifth in 2000. In their 14 seasons in the ACC, FSU is 108-13, has claimed 12 ACC championships and set the league record for consecutive victories. Bowden picked up ACC Coach of the Year titles in 1993 and 1997.

FSU also won more games in the decade of the 1990s than any other program. The win over Wake Forest on October 25, 2003 allowed him to become the all-time winningest major college coach. This December, Bowden will receive induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Bowden and his wife, Ann, have six children; daughters Robyn and Ginger and sons Steve, former Auburn head coach Terry, current Clemson head coach Tommy and current Florida State assistant coach Jeff.


JOE PATERNO, 2006 GOLD MEDAL CO-RECIPIENT
Head Coach, Penn State University


This fall will mark Joe Paterno’s 41st season pacing the sidelines as head coach of the Nittany Lions. Last year, he joined another college football legend, Amos Alonzo Stagg, as the only major college coaches to have served 40 years as head coach at a single institution.

Paterno’s career at Penn State spans 56 years and 630 games. After 16 years as an assistant coach, he was rewarded in 1966 with the head coaching responsibilities following the retirement of Rip Engle, his college coach at Brown who appointed the 23-year-old Paterno to the Penn State staff in 1950.

The 2005 season represented one of the most memorable ones for Paterno, as his Nittany Lions earned an 11-1 record and captured both the Big Ten Championship and a thrilling triple overtime decision over Bobby Bowden and Florida State in the FedEx Orange Bowl.

Last year’s 11-win season represented another milestone, as Penn State earned at least 10 victories under Paterno in a fifth different decade and for the 19th time overall. The Nittany Lions were No. 3 in the polls, earning their 13th Top 5 finish under the legendary coach, and 21st Top 10 finish.

For his leadership in restoring the Nittany Lions to the nation’s elite, Paterno was recognized with numerous National Coach of the Year honors, capped by an unprecedented fifth selection by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He also earned national honors from the Associated Press, Bobby Dodd, Home Depot/ESPN, Maxwell Football Club (George Munger), Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

A member of the Nittany Lions’ coaching staff spanning the administrations of 11 U.S. presidents (starting with Harry Truman), Paterno passed Bear Bryant on October 27, 2001 when the Lions secured his 324th victory by rallying from a 27-9 deficit to defeat Ohio State, 29-27, in the greatest Beaver Stadium comeback under the legendary coach.

Paterno has posted a 354-117-3 mark in 40 seasons as head coach and ranks second to Bowden in career wins among major college coaches and fourth all-time. His winning percentage of 75.0 is sixth best among active Division I-A coaches (10 or more years) and he is second all-time in games coached (474) among major college coaches.

Paterno is the all-time leader among coaches in bowl appearances (32) and post-season triumphs(21). His overall postseason record of 21-10-1 gives him a winning percentage of 67.2, tying him for No. 3 among the bowl season’s best of all-time. The Nittany Lions are 15-6 in New Year’s games under Paterno and 12-4 in the bowl games that comprise the Bowl Championship Series.

Since Paterno took over in 1966, Penn State has had 71 first-team All-Americans, 14 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes, 24 first-team Academic All-Americans and 18 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners.

Paterno’s coaching portfolio includes two National Championships (1982, 1986); five undefeated, untied teams; 20 finishes in the Top Ten of the national rankings; five AFCA Coach-of-the-Year plaques, and more than 300 former players who have signed National Football League contracts, 29 of them first-round draft choices. This December, Paterno will receive induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Joe and Sue Paterno have five children, all of whom are Penn State graduates; daughters Diana and Mary and sons David, George and Jay, who currently serves as Penn State’s quarterbacks coach.